Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

The question from the Leader of the Nationals is simply astounding. There was no provision in their budgets for forward years for drought relief—none. This budget contains $866 million to support primary producers, including $715 million to extend drought assistance for 2009-10. That is the practice that the former government put in place; it did not make forward provisions for drought assistance. We have said that we are looking at all of the arrangements. When we have concluded doing that we will put in place our arrangements for the future and do what the previous government never could do.

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